...and band type hose clamps, found in automobile supply stores and hardware stores (since they are also used for in-ground lawn sprinkler connections). Because of the hex-head screws they can be made incredibly tight. (It would be easy to break a plastic "milk crate", so watch it.) They are stainless steel, so won't rust. If you need some "grip" so the clamp doesn't slide, or something to fill the slack, cut some rubber from a tire tube and put it under the the clamp.

By the way, those plastic ties broke the first time my bike fell. (Actually I put them as additions as a sort of field test. I didn't think they were as fragile as they turned out to be though.) Maybe some huge ties like they use on trailers would be reliable, I don't know.

The band clamps, being slightly stiff, relax over the months as they gradually adapt to the shape of what they are wrapped around, becoming loose, so it is good to put something with a little give (such as plastic) under them. The plastic expands a little as the pressure eases, keeping the bands tighter longer. Although rubber is good for grip, it squishes a little too easy to get things really tight (if you need it that tight).

Other clamps I know about are in the electrical department. They have some C-type wrap-around clamps with an integral plastic/rubber insert.

There are iron pipe-hanger brackets in the plumbing department. These are the kind that are about 1/2 wide, not the kind that look like wire clothes-hangers. They are used to anchor pipes to joists in basements. They have holes to be nailed to the joists, and the holes can be used for your screws. They come in all sorts of sizes and are dirt cheap. You would have to bend them to wrap all the way around a frame or rack. They are pretty stiff (which is good) but not so stiff you can't bend them with pliers.

Very nice except the MagLite. A ulock is almost as good for bludgening and also secures your parked bike. Combining weapon and illumination makes less sense. Stick with the excellent bike lights available today. Just a suggestion. Keep that light saber handy for when your wife hears a noise downstairs.

I hadn't thought of bludgeoning anyone with it,now that you mention it I suppose that it would make a fair club.
I did have a $150 12 watt light purchased from the LBS should have been good, right? Problem was that it threw light everywhere and the battery didn't even last a six mile trip to work. I already owned the three Mag-lites that I am using for a light system; 2 three cell, 3 watt mini-mags mounted low on the lowrider rack for close road definition, The large 4 D cell,3 watt gives good distance illumination. I also use a 3 watt light on my helmet. I still have 12 watts of light,just in a more usable manner. I also epoxied a Blackburn light to the big Mag Lite for a "see me" light.

Yeah, I was trying to be funny. That's what police use them for, I don't think they carry billy clubs anymore.

Many years ago I used a mini MagLite. The idea that this would work as a headlight was put in my head by the fact that a clamp was being marketed at that time for mounting mini MagLite on handlebars. When it failed to provide sufficient light, I hose clamped a 3 cell unit next to it.

I replaced that set-up with a $200 NightSun system that was state of the art at that time, but yeah, short run time as well as heavy, probably heavier than the MagLites.

Whatever works for you, I just didn't think you needed that extra weight. I know you aren't worried about weight too much, but the lights today are bright, light and cheap. I'm using a ~$30 headlight that has an array of eight LEDs and uses 3 AAA batteries.

The new NiMH rechargeable batteries work better than disposables which was a delightful discovery for me. They last a lot longer than Duracells, plus you can use them again. Sweet.

I don't know that my light would work in the Maine woods. You probably need more light than I do.

Here's the (likely)final version of mine. I bought the bike itself last spring at Goodwill for $8. It's a Redline Conquest 2 from '88 or '89. Wheelst's from a GT Tequesta that met a bad end; fenders and brakes came off my old Trek 830; handlebars are from my Bridgestone CB-2, which is getting the MTB treatment for son #2; L-brackets are from my local Tru-Value store. Not shown: trailer hitch on left rear axle.

I got the general idea from here.
My rack uses a different method for attaching to the bars, mainly because of the geometry of my bike.
It's also made of aluminum instead of steel and most of the joints are glued as well as bolted.
I've been hauling quite a lot of stuff over the last couple of weeks and it hasn't shown any signs of disintegrating, yet .